Help me with words about "Peace" to give my son on this day of >

International Peace. I want to give him something with great meaning to think about and discuss at school

Maybe his piece on Good and Evil


On Good & Evil
And one of the elders of the city said, "Speak to us of Good and Evil."

And he answered:

Of the good in you I can speak, but not of the evil.

For what is evil but good tortured by its own hunger and thirst?

Verily when good is hungry it seeks food even in dark caves, and when it thirsts, it drinks even of dead waters.

You are good when you are one with yourself.

Yet when you are not one with yourself you are not evil.

For a divided house is not a den of thieves; it is only a divided house.

And a ship without rudder may wander aimlessly among perilous isles yet sink not to the bottom.

You are good when you strive to give of yourself.

Yet you are not evil when you seek gain for yourself.

For when you strive for gain you are but a root that clings to the earth and sucks at her breast.

Surely the fruit cannot say to the root, "Be like me, ripe and full and ever giving of your abundance."

For to the fruit giving is a need, as receiving is a need to the root.

You are good when you are fully awake in your speech,

Yet you are not evil when you sleep while your tongue staggers without purpose.

And even stumbling speech may strengthen a weak tongue.

You are good when you walk to your goal firmly and with bold steps.

Yet you are not evil when you go thither limping.

Even those who limp go not backward.

But you who are strong and swift, see that you do not limp before the lame, deeming it kindness.

You are good in countless ways, and you are not evil when you are not good,

You are only loitering and sluggard.

Pity that the stags cannot teach swiftness to the turtles.

In your longing for your giant self lies your goodness: and that longing is in all of you.

But in some of you that longing is a torrent rushing with might to the sea, carrying the secrets of the hillsides and the songs of the forest.

And in others it is a flat stream that loses itself in angles and bends and lingers before it reaches the shore.

But let not him who longs much say to him who longs little, "Wherefore are you slow and halting?"

For the truly good ask not the naked, "Where is your garment?" nor the houseless, "What has befallen your house?"

for each other's differences in values, social mores, and cultures. These differences should not be the basis for dominance of one country over another(s). Each country's sovereignty should be respected and protected by the other countries. Differences should be celebrated and understood. And more importantly, controversies should always be discussed, not made the basis for brutality and war.

...cooperation, equality, and respect among people of every color, sex, sexual orientation, belief, and nation.

from freedom because no one can be at peace unless he has his freedom.

Malcolm X

Malcolm lived in sexist times, I guess! At least before gender-neutral language!

... ever kills, love never dies; such is the vast difference between the two.
What is obtained by love is retained for all time. What is obtained by
hatred proves a burden in reality for it increases hatred.

~Ghandi~

Had a wonderful talk with my 11 year old this morning. One of the things I just love about having kids.